English 270

American Literature

Wednesday evening, 6:00-8:50 pm

Hanna Hall 120

Ray Korpi

Office: Hanna 111

Office Hour:  W 5:15 to 5:55 and by appt.

Phone:  360-992-2932

E-mail: rkorpi@clark.edu

Website: thor.clark.edu/korprt

Course Description

Survey of American writing from World War I to the present. Literature is read within its historical and cultural setting. Eligibility for ENGL 101 recommended. [HA, SE]

Course Prerequisite

English 101 eligibility is recommended for ENGL 270.  Students will be expected to be able to write thesis-based essays that show good command of standard edited American English and an understanding of the essay and paragraph forms as would be expected of a student entering English 101.

Course Philosophy

I truly believe that literature must be examined with its historical context.  We will look at works that are traditionally considered to be literary, political and social speeches and works of the time, popular culture of the era, as well as modern historical documentary and articles of the time.  This course will focus on key novels and short story collections of the period as well as some films to supplement.  The novels will be read in chronological order; the films will be outside this order as I have structured the syllabus to provide extra reading time in some weeks where a film will be shown.

                Please note that modern literature and film deals at times with adult themes.  You will be expected to read and view each work assigned as part of the class and participate in discussions of mature topics as they are appropriate. If you have an issue with this, then we need to talk about your place in the class.  It is quite possible that one or two of the films in the course will have an R rating.

Humanities Outcomes

The work in this course is aimed at helping you to fulfill these humanities outcomes:

• Demonstrate how a discipline in the humanities influences or reflects cultures
• Produce, create, interpret or critique works from a discipline in the humanities
• Explain why the humanities are important to cultures, communities or individuals

The assignments, discussions, and response activities will be designed to help you achieve these.

Course Texts

Students will be expected to view all films in the class—I will be determining what films will be shown as we go to some extent.  The novels required, all of which are available at the Clark bookstore, are as follows (dates are approximate):

• Willa Cather, My Antonia (weeks 2 and 3)
• Ernest Hemingway, The Nick Adams Stories (weeks 4 and 5)
• John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath (weeks 7 and 8)
• Leslie Marmon Silko, Ceremony (tbd—will be done in two of the final three weeks)

Course Components—Please note that any assignment sheet given is an extension of this document.

1. Response Papers—You will asked to do weekly responses (weeks 2 through 11) to the readings that are given.  Responses will be scored holistically on a ten-point scale (10=A+, 9=A, 8=B, 7=C, 6=D, 5=F, No response or late=0).  Responses will be available via electronic means (web site) and may be handed in electronically or on paper (typed please).   Your overall grade on responses will be the best 9 of 10 responses.  Late submission policy will be explained on individual assignment sheets.
2. Participation and Attendance—Active participation while having regular attendance.  A student who misses more than 30 percent of class periods will not be eligible for a passing grade in the class unless an emergent situation is documented.  Students are expected to keep up with the reading and to contribute to discussions in a positive way (which some days may simply be respectful listening).  10 percent.

Course Grading

I assign points to grades in the following way:

A             15            A—         14            B+          13            B             12            B—         11           

C+          10            C             9              D             5              F              1

I then multiply the point value of the letter grade and the percentage value of the assignment and assign the final grade based upon the following scale:

A             1425-1500               A—         1350-1424               B+          1250-1349               B             1150-1249

B—         1050-1149               C+          950-1049 C             800-949                   D             400-799

F              Below 399

Plagiarism

Students are expected to follow MLA guidelines on the submission of their papers with the following exceptions:  no parenthetical citation is required from assigned readings or lecture notes.  However, use of materials from the forewords, introductions, and ancillary materials from our textbook, or use of any outside sources must be accompanied by full and reasonably correct MLA citation and documentation.  Discovery of the use of outside materials without documentation will be considered plagiarism and will cause course failure; blatant cases will be reported to the Student Conduct Officer. 

W’s and I’s

Students have the right to withdraw from the course according to the deadlines found in the time schedule.  All withdrawals are handled via the registration office in the Welcome Center in the basement of the PUB.  Students may withdraw until May 23, 2008, the final day of the 7^th week of the quarter.  Late withdrawal appeals for this course will be handled by SOFA Dean Miles Jackson (Foster 205).

                Incompletes will only be given if a great majority of the work is done and if the student has some compelling need to have a little more time to finish; students must meet the eligibility requirement for an incomplete.  Documentation is generally required for incompletes.

Attendance, Tardiness, and Emergencies

Please be to class on time.  Tardiness will be noted as fractional absenteeism if this becomes an individual issue.  Students who are absent and who contact me will be helped as I am able and as is fair to all students.  Please note that I do reserve the right to work with students in emergency situations to complete the course as long as I determine an equitable situation still exists for all.  All emergency situations, as with all grades in the class, are handled individually, confidentially, and discreetly.

Rules for Decorum

1. Please silence your cell phones when you come into class.  If you need to leave it on because of life responsibility issues, please be courteous.  If you have an emergent call situation where you need to leave the phone on, please let me know prior to the class period.
2. Please do not text message during class—this is distracting to those around you, and I have found that it is especially distracting to me.
3. Please be respectful of the viewpoints of your fellow classmates.  Literature is a subject where the answers are not cut and dry, and having healthy and respectful discussions where more than one viewpoint comes out is actually a wonderful thing.  In life, ambiguity is bad everywhere except in a literature classroom.
4. Students whose behavior becomes a distraction may be asked to leave the classroom and may be referred to Dr. Tim Cook, the Student Conduct Officer.  In these situations, I will try to approach folks before taking more drastic steps.

Concerns

If you have concerns about the class, you have the responsibility to come to me first about these.  If we get to a point where we cannot work out the issue, your next step is to Sandy Woodward, English Division Chair.  In an academic appeal, the dean who will hear the Step 3 appeal is Miles Jackson (my hearing an appeal of my grading is a conflict of interest to be sure).

ADA Accommodations

If you have emergency medical information which should be shared; or if you require assistance in case the building should be evacuated; please make an appointment to see me as soon as possible during the office hours indicated in this syllabus.

Any student with a disability who may require some consideration or assistance in order to fully participate in this class should contact the Disability Support Services Office at (360) 992-2314 or (360) 992-2835 (TTY) or stop by PUB 006.

Clark Emergency Instructions

In emergencies, students should do the following:

Inclement weather or emergency information

• Go to www.clark.edu or call 360-992-2000 as your first means of getting information.  The College does send notices to radio and television stations, but the College’s web site and switchboard are the official platforms for the most accurate information.

Immediate emergency communication alert

• To receive immediate notice on emergencies, you can register your cell phone number to receive text pages and your email address to receive email messages.  To do this, go to www.flashalert.net .  Select “Subscribe” on the left, and follow the instructions. Mass communication will also be sent to all college employee phones and computers.

Fire Alarm

• Evacuate the building through closest exit; evacuation maps are located in the hallways. Take personal belongings only if it is safe to do so.  Remain at least 50 feet from the building.  Notify others of evacuation.  Do not re-enter building until instructed to do so.

Parking Lot Identifiers

• New parking lot identifiers using colors and numbers have been assigned to all Clark parking lots.  To help emergency or security personnel locate you, please refer to these identifying features.

Security Escort

• Security Officers are available for escorts please call 360-992-2133.